“If you talk to someone on the frontline, they’ll tell you that they see the impacts of burnout every day — they’ve either experienced it themselves or they see it in their co-workers.” — Michelle Gawronsky, MGEU President

"This situation is yet another reminder that health and safety legislation is much more effective where the labour movement is powerful enough to prevent it being ignored.” — Larry Brown, NUPGE President

"These new statistics prove that now, more than ever, the B.C. government and WCB must address the issue of prison violence. The safety and security of our members — and our communities — is at stake.” — Stephanie Smith, BCGEU President

Vancouver (21 Feb. 2017) — New statistics released by BC Corrections show that prison violence in B.C. continues to rise. Assaults on correctional officers rose by 39 per cent between 2014 and 2015, and the new stats indicate that —based on the halfway point of 2016 — this figure is projected to rise by another 21.5 per cent for 2016.